The Department of Tourism in Central Visayas (DOT-7) is pushing schools offering tourism and hospitality programs to become more active partners in preserving and promoting the region’s cultural heritage, as the agency seeks to strengthen the industry’s workforce and visitor experience.
DOT-7 OIC Regional Director Gelena Asis-Dimpas said higher education institutions have a role beyond preparing students for tourism-related careers, particularly as many campuses are situated near historic sites and tourism attractions.
Speaking during the University of San Jose-Recoletos’ (USJ-R) celebration of the 59th ASEAN Founding Anniversary, Asis-Dimpas encouraged students and faculty members to take a more active role in welcoming visitors and telling the stories behind Cebu’s heritage sites.
USJ-R is located within Cebu City’s Heritage District, putting its academic community in close proximity to several of the city’s historic landmarks.
Asis-Dimpas suggested that students could help visitors navigate the area through informal walking tours and conversations about the history, traditions, and significance of the sites.
She said these seemingly simple interactions can contribute to the broader tourism economy.
‘Tourism is an industry where every handshake, every smile, and every story has a potential to trigger economic activity,’ Asis-Dimpas said.
The DOT-7 official also called for closer coordination between tourism industry players and academic institutions, particularly in ensuring that tourism and hospitality curricula remain responsive to changes in the industry.
She cited expanded internship and industry-immersion opportunities, along with continued DOT-accredited training programs, as areas where schools and the tourism sector could deepen their partnership.
One example is DOT-7’s Project H.A.R.A.N.A., or Hosting ASEAN with Readiness, Authenticity, Nationalism, and Agility, which brought together tourism workers, volunteers, faculty members, and students to assist in various tourism-related operations during major ASEAN activities hosted in the region.
USJ-R was among the institutions whose tourism students and faculty participated in the initiative, which provided personnel for visitor reception, billeting, arrivals, and tour operations.
The project gained added relevance as Central Visayas hosted two major ASEAN events this year-the ASEAN Tourism Forum in January and the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in May.
The events brought foreign leaders, delegates, and other visitors to Cebu and provided an opportunity for the region to demonstrate its capacity to host large-scale international gatherings.
For DOT-7, the experience also highlighted the importance of having a tourism workforce that is trained, adaptable, and familiar with the region’s destinations and cultural assets.
Asis-Dimpas also pointed to the region’s potential to expand its position as an education tourism destination, while highlighting the contribution of tourism professionals and tour guides to the national ‘Discover More to Love’ campaign. The campaign, she said, provides an avenue for Central Visayas to build greater awareness of its destinations by creating meaningful and memorable experiences for visitors.
The DOT-7 is seeking to sustain partnerships with academic institutions as it works to position Central Visayas not only as a tourism destination but also as a hub for culture, education, and regional cooperation within the ASEAN community.
The call was made as USJ-R joined other academic institutions in marking ASEAN’s founding anniversary under the Philippine chairmanship theme, ‘Navigating Our Future, Together.’
The university’s celebration featured an ASEAN Country and Food Exhibit showcasing the cultures, traditions, and culinary practices of the bloc’s 11 member states.